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Brand Names

Name recognition can be huge. As an individual, you know you have hit the big time when you are universally recognized by your first name, like Madonna, Elvis, Oprah, Napoleon, Aretha, Brutus, Hillary, Tiger, Cher, Judas, Jesus, and Santa; or your last name, like Ali, Gandhi and Madoff. That’s quite a mix. Prince was apparently not satisfied with this level of recognition so he took on the moniker of “The Artist formally known as Prince” for a short while. But that backfired and now he is just Prince again, I think.

If you are seeking broad appeal, it really helps to have a unique given name, or to assume one. There have been a lot of famous Bob’s and David’s but those names are far too common to stand alone. Meatloaf, Pele, Sting, Stonewall, Bono and Twiggy are much better if you want to be remembered. In the event you are stuck with a name like William, a catchy nickname can sometimes push you up the “top of mind” list. Billy the Kid did it, though a bit notoriously. Lady Bird, Blackbeard, Old Hickory, and The Fonz also enjoyed some success. However, with the exception of “pro” wrestlers, you cannot give yourself a nickname. You have to rely on others to pin it on you, and that can be risky.

Sometimes an adjective is all that needs to be added to enhance name recognition, such as Honest Abe. Be careful though because the purpose of an adjective is to describe a noun and the combination can be hard to shake. Plenty of people have struggled to live down or live up to their nicknames. Wild Bill, Cool Hand Luke and Pistol Pete are pretty fitting. Weird Al works for Yankovic’s wacky shtick. Bozo the Clown works as well but no one else wants to be known as a Bozo or a clown, unless that is their profession.

I know of two final ways to work the name game – you can try to use your initials or partner up with somebody else. While companies like IBM and AT&T are household names, it is much harder for individuals to go the initial route. You have to be huge, like JC. As universally recognizable as MJ may be, even those initials require context, i.e., entertainment or basketball. JFK, FDR, and GW work without further elaboration. If you decide to team-up with a partner, your two names together often provide all the necessary context. Bonnie is a pretty common name. Clyde is perhaps less common. Put them together and you have instant name recognition. Again though, be careful who you pair yourself with since it is nearly impossible to separate names and personalities once they become linked together. Sonny had to change careers. I believe the Lehman brothers split town.

The point of all of this is that our performance, our track record, gets bonded to our name. That can be a very good or a not so good thing. For example, Judas and Brutus did not fare well. Worse, their names have gone on to live in perpetuity and have become synonymous with words like betrayer and backstabber. Those particular associations are provocative but tend to turn people off. You would not name a financial institution “Judas Bank & Trust” or a venture capital firm “Brutus & Associates.”

Our names are in effect our personal brands. With the explosion of social networking, blogging and e-commerce, everyone is now essentially in the branding game. Yet, unlike companies, our personal names are über-brands – they are the essence of who we are in the eyes of others. Our names evoke a mental image and emotional response from others. It makes good sense to work on our branding. Oddly enough though, we do not do this by promoting ourselves but rather by serving others. Some public figures and well known companies get this principle and live it out very successfully. They serve by sharing their very best talents, services and products with their fans, constituents and customers. For the rest of us – who may never achieve notoriety outside our relatively small circles of influence – we still have the opportunity to positively impact others within our families, worksites, communities and places of worship. Building a good name involves a lifetime of work and we will have our ups and downs. Some of us may even have repair work to do. The time has arrived for each of us to become full-time managers of our personal brand.

Our Name

People ask us about the name of our company. The name, LeanForward, came about as the result of some reflection about competitive sports, specifically running.

Sprinters use blocks to help them get into optimal alignment to start a race. Body position is paramount. Mental, emotional and physical preparedness are essential. The old adage that races are often won or lost at the start is true. What is also true is that when runners assemble at the starting line, it is the moment of truth – the moment of action. There is no more time for posing or prepping. No more time for staging or stretching. No time to look back. Instead, it is the time to lean forward. The past is gone. The future is yet to be decided. The moment is now.

Notice the physical and mental orientation of what is being described. It is one of explosive power, elegant balance, forward trajectory and anticipation. Notice something more. At the starting line, runners do not spend time looking into the stands or sizing up the other runners. While you might expect runners to be looking out ahead, what you see is that runners have their heads down with a focus on their first step or two. They know that explosive power and momentum are lost if their heads come up too fast. They know that raising their heads up brings their body position up. Translation: less power, more wind resistance. There is another reason that runners keep their heads down. They are intently listening for the instructions of the starting official and the sound of the gun. They do not pay attention to the runners beside them. They block out all possible distractions and tune into the starter. They anticipate but don’t jump. “Jumping the gun” can bring about disqualification. It can also lead to tentativeness when getting reset at the starting line. This is why laser-like, in-the-moment focus is required.

Still, while the runner is very intentional about the moment, she is also keenly aware that it is the time and effort spent before the race that provides the readiness to run it. Successful runners would all agree about the importance of getting a good start, but they would give much more credence to all the preparation they do before the race. These runners would say that races are won or lost, not necessarily on the starting line, but on the practice field – i.e., the track, weight room, open road, etc. They know that training is often grueling. That it can be monotonous and at times discouraging and painful. Yet, serious runners understand that it is necessary. They adopt what is referred to as the “long-view.” They willingly endure the rigor of short-term pain in order to ensure a future of long-term gain.

Finally, while successful runners understand that they cannot begin the race before the gun sounds, they also know that it is important to anticipate what is ahead of them. They arrive at the starting line with clear intent and a strong sense of anticipation. They visualize the race before them, including the moment when they will cross the finish line.

So, what does all this have to do with real people living real lives? It shows us that good preparation provides us with the inner power and strength we need to endure hardships and tenaciously pursue our goals. Without solid preparation, people will lack the fortitude and stamina to finish what they start. We can also see that a healthy focus on the future provides us with something to hope for, reach toward and dream about. It is the constant and subtle “pull” that helps to keep us pointing forward when life gets rough. Without hope, people lose heart and lose direction. That’s two thirds of the equation – good preparation and a healthy future focus. The last element is the here and now – the moment. This is where the “push” is needed, and, it must come from within us. First, we need to get ourselves up to the starting line, which is often half the battle. Second, we position ourselves into blocks so that we have some structure and something solid to push against. Third, we raise ourselves up gently and smoothly until we are in a set and relaxed position. Lastly, we lean forward just enough to keep our balance.

Oh, and one more thing is very helpful – a good coach. That’s when you call us. We’ll get you ready for the race and the competition you’ll be up against.

Note: Special thanks to Hoss Rostami, a former colleague at Duke who remains a very close friend.  Hoss worked tirelessly with me to design and perfect the orginal LeanForward, Inc. logo and branding strategy.  He did this without complaint and without compensation.  Hoss is one of the most generous people I have ever met. 

-- Mark Rumbles, President and Principal Consultant, LeanForward, Inc.